Belief Vs. Conviction

After a long time, since this morning I felt the passion for the truth and the conviction again. I felt angry about the various theories out there. People come up with clever, appealing theories so that they can simply hide the lack of passion and conviction they have.

I was thinking about the difference between belief and conviction.

People have numerous beliefs, some true and some untrue. But belief always is a matter of the approval of our rational mind. People believe in political, social, cultural and philosophical matters. And it matters to them. They work for it. They spend their money and energy in a very notable way. They look convicted. Yet, are they convicted?

Or do they just hold fast to their belief and put on several acts of validation? Is it because people always find 'hope' in believing in something or someone? Are we wired to 'believe'? Probably, yes!

People, from the post modern civilization to people from African tribes believes in things. People can hold fast to their beliefs from the early adolescence to later in life until death. They can be even passionate about their beliefs, they can get college degrees on the subjects of their beliefs, they can make a living based on what they believe and work on it to make it happen.

Have you ever wondered what drives or motivates this people? It's their belief. How or where belief happens? What is the psychology behind believing in something? May be they read a convincing book? listened to a charismatic, convincing speaker? Role models? tragedies? or may be its something makes them feel good? or may be it simply makes sense to their rational sense? Or, it could be all of it?

Here is the question though: All these people, who strongly and emphatically believes in things, have you ever wondered if they really have a CONVICTION? An unquestionable conviction in their hearts? Note that I did not say "in their mind"? Rather, in their HEART?

Well, does it matter? Isn't an intellectual belief enough? After all, they are getting things done. They appear fairly happy and lot of them have very successful life. So, do we need to split hairs here?

Have you noticed that all these people who believe in things, sometimes require encouragement, motivation and some pumping of energy into their heads? Politicians quit, clergies resign, social worker gives up, people quit one religion and joins another one. Why does all this happen all the time? Why is it that people lose heart on things? Things they believed for several years, all of a sudden they find no motivation to continue in their long held beliefs.

Isn't that sad? Could it be that they never had a conviction to begin with? Could it be that they merely had an intellectual belief but not a heart-deep conviction. Could it be that the things they believe are merely falsehoods or half-truths, and not THE truth? Could it be that their belief never gave them the true freedom every human hearts long for? The things they believed weren't powerful enough to set them free and feel fearless?